MICKLEOVER SPORTS 2-2 COALVILLE TOWN: FULL REPORT & IMAGES...

Ravens Rescue A Point From A Winning Position

Mickleover Sports 2-2 Coalville Town

Coalville left the Don Amott ‘King of Caravans’ Arena with one point but surely a victory should have been acquired from an encounter which became more interesting as it wore on and the weather deteriorated. The Ravens were in control thanks to Nathan Watson’s well taken first period goal and until the otherwise reliable Lee Torr fouled Jimmy Phillips to present player/manager John McGrath with a free-kick opportunity which the midfielder scored courtesy of Town goalie Matt Coton’s right glove, little could have foretold the turnaround which was to come. Soon after the McGrath goal, Clinton Morrison finally managed to hold up a Phillips pass successfully enough to present Andy Dales with a low strike to shove Sports ahead and suddenly Coalville were clawing defeat from the jaws of a comfortable victory.

MORRISON FINDS KICKING OFF A BACK-BREAKING AFFAIR...

Trouble flared stupidly in the Mickleover goalmouth soon afterwards but fair play to Morrison, who managed to extricate his ‘keeper Lewis King from the maul and protect the goalminder’s interests but the gloveman was quickly beaten at his near post by Blair Anderson’s angled delivery and parity was thus reclaimed by the Ravens. In truth, Coalville finished the stronger of the teams and ought to have exited the Arena with a deserved New Year victory. 

COALVILLE'S 2-MAN BOBSLEIGH TEAM PRACTISES AT MICKLEOVER...

The opening of the match was like cold turkey and hardening Christmas pudding, and the careful and sluggish passing across defence, mostly by Sports, made one think of hangovers which I’m sure wasn’t the case… However, despite some lively runs by Dales, the occasional creative passes by McGrath and the odd sprints by Brad Grayson in attack, the hosts, through their tactic of feeding Morrison as the fulcrum of the offense, simply failed to bring rewards and Coton remained relatively untroubled. Morrison and Danny Jenno were often caught entangled though, as if they were attempting to extract themselves from the stinging nettles which used to foul my dad’s garden in Shard End, Birmingham. However, Watson’s clever turns and tricks, alongside Tom McGlinchey’s rushes, looked more profitable and home defenders Pablo Mills and skipper Tom Burgin were often threatened by the pair although to be fair central Raven striker Daniel Creaney was reduced to a quiet game by the Sports couple.

"WHERE'S MY MICROPHONE, MAN?"

Grayson did set up Dales for an early shot but there was no evident power and Coton picked up the effort before Watson rattled a 28 yard free-kick just beyond the left angle of crossbeam and upright for the Ravens. Phillips was then mugged by ex-Mickleover left-back Kyle Bryant who tried to catch King out of position with a curled shot from 25 yards but the ‘keeper collected the ball with some comfort. Watson then started the move which resulted in the opening goal, exchanging passes with the sprightly McGlinchey, whose return feed to inside-left allowed Watson to clip a smart finish into the left corner of the net past King. Watson and King would resume their feud later in the match…   

0-1...

BARCELONA'S WATSON HAS SCORED...

Following a run by home right-back Kevin Grocott, a poked shot by Dales failed to worry Coton and then from a clear position, Grayson ballooned a poor effort over the fencing behind the Town goal, although Coalville’s defending had been lax to offer the forward an opportunity. A right-side Watson corner fell to Raven skipper Steve Towers beyond the far stick but although it looked like his shot had been saved by the plunging King, it was probably Morrison who had stopped it on his goal-line, with a couple of Ravens raising their beaks to appeal for a ‘hand-ball’. A McGlinchey centre from the right was glanced on by the head of Creaney but the ball drifted beyond the goal-frame and Creaney then missed a great chance to extend his team’s narrow advantage. He was set up 15 yards out, inside-left by McGlinchey’s smart pass but with time on the ball, the unmarked striker appeared to lean back and thus scooped his first-time right-booter well over the target.

HAND SIGNALS WERE USED ON MY DRIVING TEST, AS WELL...

A short free-kick move involving Watson led to the goalscorer firing a powerful 23 yarder which was bravely nodded away by Burgin, as the diving King flew across his goal like a Premier League forward who had felt a defender’s finger brush his shirt inside a penalty-box… Hmm. As the half waned, a fine piece of Watson skill took him to the left byeline and his centre was smacked goalwards on the volley by McGlinchey from 17 yards, inside-right channel and although the effort was stopped by the adventurous Sports left-back Ben Turner’s arm, there was no question that a penalty could, or should have been sought. 

DANNY JENNO'S 'SIDES' HAVE SLIPPED TO FORM A FASHIONABLE BEARD...

The break arrived, the weather turned colder and the rain began to fall. Sports’ Jake Scott had taken a knock at the end of the opening half and he, along with the somewhat ineffective forward Grayson, was replaced during the interval. The substitutes were named by the announcer as Evan Garnett and Lewis Belgrave. The hosts began the second-half with more vigour certainly, but the Raven defence, missing Dean Freeman, was holding firm before Burgin bludgeoned Watson to the ground and earned a caution. King duly touched Watson’s free-kick away for a fruitless right-wing flag-kick.

THIS FELLOW WAS NUTMEGGING A DEFENCELESS CHILD AT HALF-TIME...

CREANEY LOOKS LESS THAN HAPPY TO BE THERE...

Coalville then tested King with a couple of centres and although he touched them away, he was in some difficulty both times before Watson headed a good Creaney delivery from the left, well over the target. The hosts managed a couple of near post headers, one from Burgin, both of which were blocked, following a right-flank corner by McGrath but King was soon in trouble again as he touched down a right-sider by Alex Howes but Towers’ ensuing shot lacked any power and was easily cleared. Bryant was sent scurrying along the left byeline but elected to shovel a shot at King instead of assisting a colleague but although his weak effort was spilled by the goalie, no Raven reacted to the emergence of such prize carrion…

OOPS...

"YOU DEAD MATE?"

"YELLOW CARD FOR YOU... AND THE FORFEIT IS TO EXPLAIN WHY YOUR LEG IS WRAPPED IN A BLANKY..."

Phillips shot too high from a short corner routine which Coalville failed to react to, Anderson replaced Creaney for the Ravens, Torr felled the rushing Phillips and the Caravanmen subsequently equalised from the resulting free-kick. Torr was booked before McGrath’s left-foot free-kick from 23 yards was clipped over the defensive Town wall and truthfully seemed ripe for Coton to save but the ‘keeper’s right glove could only push the ball further into the left corner of the net.

McGRATH WAITS TO SCORE...

PARITY: 1-1...

McGRATH: MANAGING WELL, THANK YOU...

A good claim by King from a high cross then a wasteful and high Anderson shot preceded a second Sports goal and it stemmed from a short pass by Phillips to Morrison, who leaned, shielding the ball and he shoved it back for Dales to strike low past the turning Jenno and the shot flew past Coton.

DALES HAS MADE IT 2-1...

Alex Dean had replaced Howes for the guests, who had flitted in and out of the proceedings but when Town were awarded a corner on the right, Watson was unable to retrieve the ball from the irritated King’s grasp and a melee ensued in the Mickleover goalmouth. King was truly incensed and Morrison probably saved his goalie from punishment by grabbing him like a bear around its prey and hauling him free of the maul. No player was cautioned, despite the unpleasantness but when the visitors netted their second goal, the referee’s anger was stoked by the excitable actions of Bryant. 

MORRISON IS IN THERE, SEARCHING FOR PINK...

...& FINDS IT...

"I'M SCARED OF YOU ALL, SO NO CAUTIONS, OK LADS?"

Following his cleared right-side corner, Watson crossed again and Burgin headed the ball on towards the left-flank, where Anderson took possession, beat Burgin towards the byeline and struck the ball across the goalmouth but in attempting to stop it, King merely deflected it inside his near post and Coalville were suddenly level. Bryant then moved to congratulate Anderson but ‘sledged’ King as he went past the stricken goalie and the referee jumped, shoved his whistle between his lips and beckoned Bryant to him. A yellow card was shown which might well have been correct but no punishments had been dealt out in the earlier melee? Inconsistency by officials again… And then the official cautioned the already substituted Creaney for some misdemeanour, while he had been seated in a dugout, sheltering from the rain…

BOOKED FOR SARCASM...

ANDERSON, LEFT, HAS TIED THE GAME...

"WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT PUB YOU WENT TO LAST NIGHT?"

Watson nodded a Dean cross to King, before the ‘keeper was severely troubled by another right-side centre and he appeared to beat down the ball like he was ‘spiking’ in a beach volleyball game. He needed Grocott’s aid to dissipate the danger, although Towers then volleyed the rebound goalwards from 20 yards, an effort which passed just wide of the right stick. An error by the otherwise efficient Mills, miscuing in front of his own goal led to a close range shot by Towers being brilliantly turned off target by the joint evasive actions of King and Burgin and realistically, with that miss, the Caravanmen had won a point…

WATSON, PLAYING AWAY FROM HOLMES...

It remained only for Watson to fall over in the 18 yard box, like he had lost control of a mischievous puppy and for Dales to drive wide from 25 yards and the match was ended in driving rain by the harassed referee, who had even spoken at length to Coalville manager Tommy Brookbanks earlier in the second period and just prior to Creaney’s caution, like a headmaster telling off a prefect…

NICE...

Watson’s link-play had been crucial for the Ravens, McGlinchey’s runs had often been useful and Tower’s general steadiness, alongside the combative Jermain Hollis had been invaluable. Torr and Jenno had been efficient in the defence, along with Bryant and Cleveland Taylor, following some fine whistling (really…) before kick-off, had gone on to display his experience at right-back. 

King had been through the mill in goals for the hosts and with a swirling wind and driving rain about after the interval, he had done well to deal with some of Town’s wing deliveries, despite making few friends among the Coalville supporters behind his net. Mills and Burgin had continued to do OK, along with both full-backs but Dales’ lively running had been a feature of the offense. McGrath’s industry had kept his team alive at times, in all honesty and the two replacements had worked hard after half-time.

Me? Back down the A38 for another fine meal at Knowle’s Bangladeshi restaurant ‘Cafe Saffron’… The manager there is a Middlesbrough fan… 

No, I don’t get that, either… 

TEAMS:

MICKLEOVER SPORTS:

LEWIS KING, KEVIN GROCOTT, BEN TURNER, JOHN McGRATH, PABLO MILLS, TOM BURGIN (CAPT), ANDY DALES, CLINTON MORRISON, JAKE SCOTT, BRAD GRAYSON, JIMMY PHILLIPS.

SUBS:

REECE HORNE, ALEX MORRIS, LEWIS BELGRAVE, JERMAINE PALMER, EVAN GARNETT.

COALVILLE TOWN:

MATT COTON, CLEVELAND TAYLOR, KYLE BRYANT, DANNY JENNO, LEE TORR, STEVE TOWERS (CAPT), TOM McGLINCHEY, JERMAIN HOLLIS, DANIEL CREANEY, NATHAN WATSON, ALEX HOWES.

SUBS:

KYLE DIXON, JAMIE HANNIS, BLAIR ANDERSON, ALEX DEAN, JAMES CARVELL.